Category: Fr. Abraham’s Weekly Column

First Sunday of Lent

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

It was great to see so many of our people making an extra effort to begin Lent with the symbol of ashes, reminding us all to “turn away from sin and believe in the gospel.” Besides the distribution of the ashes at the different Masses and the Prayer Service, our unique practice of the “Drive-thru” ministry of ashes also attracted a lot of people who, due to their own particular situation, would not have got the ashes and the message in the little card we gave them. I am grateful to the many volunteers and parish staff who made the drive-thru ministry a success. This is a sign of goodwill from the Church to reach out to those who cannot come to church or those alienated from the church for whatever reason.

As I was reflecting on the different ways of living Lent, I was fascinated by this “If-we-were” reflection a friend sent me:

If we were:
knives, Lent would be a time to sharpen our cutting edges.
cars, Lent would be a time for an oil change and a tune-up.
swimming pools, Lent would be a time to filter the dirt out of our water.
gardens, Lent would be a time to fertilize our soil and dig out our weeds.
carpets, Lent would be a time to get power-cleaned.
VCRs, Lent would be a time to clean our heads and adjust our tracking.
computers, Lent would be a time to overhaul our disk drive.
highways, Lent would be a time to repair our cracks and fill our potholes.
TV sets, Lent would be a time to adjust our focus and our fine-tuning.
silverware, Lent would be a time to clean away our tarnish.
batteries, Lent would be a time to be recharged.
seeds, Lent would be a time to germinate and reach for the sun.

But the truth of the matter is that we are none of these things. We are people who sometimes do wrong things, and we need to atone for them. Sometimes we get spiritually lazy – we need to get back into shape; sometimes we become selfish – we need to stretch out of our narrowness and begin giving again; sometimes we lose sight of our purpose on earth and the immense promise within us – we need to regain our vision. And because we are also people who sometimes tend to put those things off, we need a special official time to concentrate on doing them. So we have Lent.

I hope we all have chosen some particular way or ways to spend these 40 days. If not, “Now is the acceptable time,” as St. Paul reminds us (2 Corinthians 6:2). Our small faith-sharing groups have already begun to meet weekly. Anyone is still welcome to drop in and see what it is all about! The Stations of the Cross at 7 pm every Friday of Lent is a devotion worth attending. The reflections are truly relevant and practical. Can we all put that in our Lenten schedule?

I wish us all a happy experience of Lent as we make some Lenten practice these 40 days. Then the Easter candy will taste sweeter, the Easter flowers will bloom more brightly, the Easter Sunday sun will shine more warmly!

Happy and fruitful Lent!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

The Miraculous Medal Novena

One of the most popular and widespread devotions in the Catholic Church is the Miraculous Medal Novena. Here at Saint Matthias the novena is prayed every Monday morning after the 8 am Mass. The miraculous medal had its origin in Paris France in 1830 when Saint Catherine Labouré received an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Catherine was born on May 2, 1806. Her mother died when she was 9. Catherine asked the Blessed Mother to be her mother in place of her deceased mother. In January 1830 she joined the Daughters of Charity and in July of that year, she had the first of several apparitions of the Blessed Mother. During one of these apparitions in the chapel of her convent in Paris, the Blessed mother showed herself inside an oval frame standing upon a globe with rays of light coming from her hands towards the globe. Around the frame were the words, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” Mary asked Catherine to have the image struck as a medal. The image rotated and on the back, Catherine saw a large letter M surmounted by a cross with a bar at its base. Below this monogram, there was an image of the Sacred Heart crowned with thorns, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced with a sword.

Initially 2000 medals were made and distributed and some extraordinary healings and miracles occurred so quickly that people began to call the medal The Miraculous Medal. Today millions of Catholics wear the medal as a sign of their devotion to Mary and to implore her intercession.

Reciting the novena prayers takes less than 10 minutes. Among the prayers is the Novena Prayer which goes like this: O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Lord Jesus and our mother, penetrated with the most lively confidence in your all-powerful and never-failing intercession, manifested so often through the Miraculous Medal, we your loving and trustful children implore you to obtain for us the graces and favors we ask during this novena, if they be beneficial to our immortal souls and the souls for whom we pray.

Msgr. Brennan

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

Today is World Marriage Day, an annual observance to honor husband and wife as the foundation of the family, the basic unit of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in daily married life. I invite every husband and wife to spend a little dedicated time in prayer and reflection by participating in a seven-day virtual retreat focused on marriage (www.foryourmarriage.org). See page 8 in this bulletin for more details about opportunities for marriage enrichment, divorce survival, and retreat.

We all know that marriage is NOT a bed of roses. Every marriage hits its rough spots. Pope Francis noted in his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia that “the life of every family is marked by all kinds of crises. Couples should be helped to realize that surmounting a crisis need not weaken their relationship…Each crisis becomes an apprenticeship in growing closer together or learning a little more about what it means to be married. There is no need for couples to resign themselves to an inevitable downward spiral or a tolerable mediocrity” (no. 232). If you are struggling in your marriage, take heart! The Church cares about you and wants you and your spouse to find healing and a renewed sense of love. Be open to the resources our Church offers to enrich and support your married life.

At the same time, we need to be aware of those couples who have found it impossible to stay in marriage due to insurmountable difficulties and so have chosen to separate or divorce. All of us need to be sensitive to their situation as St. John Paul II beautifully asked us: “I earnestly call upon pastors and the whole community of the faithful to help the divorced and with solicitous care, to make sure that they do not consider themselves as separated from the Church… Let the Church pray for them, encourage them and show herself a merciful mother and thus sustain them in faith and hope.” 

In this context, it is important to have a clear picture of their status in the eyes of the Church as there are many misconceptions: Catholics who are separated or divorced, and who have not remarried outside of the church, are in good standing in the church and can receive the sacraments, including holy Communion. That means divorced/separated Catholics are not excommunicated from the church as some mistakenly think. Annulments do not cost thousands of dollars. Annulments do not take years to process and do not have to be processed in Rome. Divorcees with children can get an annulment. Even if your “ex” does not cooperate in the annulment process, you can still get help. Separated/divorced Catholics are welcome at Mass and Church activities. Separated/divorced Catholics can receive the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation – provided their remarriage, if any, is in the church. They can be sponsors at Baptism and Confirmation. The children of the separated/divorced Catholics can be baptized and receive other sacraments.

Knowing that we are all God’s children trying to live life to the best of our ability will give us a greater understanding of the struggles we all face, especially those with difficulties in marriage; it will then give us a greater appreciation of each other.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day – the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the following Sunday, which is today – in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church.

In our Diocese of Metuchen, there are many religious houses where the members have made a gift of themselves to God in consecration, making their light shine through their vowed commitment to making Jesus Christ the center of their lives. In our own parish, we are blessed to have the presence of two such consecrated persons – Sr. Marie Therese Sherwood, OSF and Sr. Maria Derecola, OSF. They belong to the “School Sisters of St. Francis”, an international religious order that originally came to the United States in 1913 to serve as teachers to immigrant children. Of course, the original mission of their community – and Catholic Sisters in general – has evolved over the years in order to meet the differing needs of the times. The Sisters of the United States Province serve in three states (Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Texas) and two countries (USA and Italy) with a single common denominator — outreach to God’s people wherever they are and for whatever their needs may be. We are grateful to Sr. Marie Therese and Sr. Maria for their presence and ministry in our community of St. Matthias.

Today’s Gospel passage has Jesus asking us to be the salt of the earth and light of the world. The religious men and women do that in a very visible way by consecrating themselves with religious vows. But that is not the vocation of the vast number of people. So how can an ordinary Catholic, who is not in the lime light of public sphere, become the light of the world?

A woman in Bible study related that when she recently went into her basement, she made an interesting discovery. Some potatoes had sprouted in the darkest corner of the room. At first she couldn’t figure out how they had received enough light to grow. Then she noticed that she had hung a copper kettle from a rafter near a cellar window. She kept it so brightly polished that it reflected the rays of the sun onto the potatoes. She exclaimed, “When I saw that reflection, I thought, I may not be a preacher or a teacher with the ability to expound upon Scripture, but at least I can be a copper kettle Christian, catching the rays of the Son and reflecting his light to someone in a dark corner.”

This woman’s experience is an inspiration for all of us that we too can become the light of the world by radiating the light of Jesus Christ.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

The National Catholic Schools week begins today, with the theme: Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.  Our Bishop Checchio has written a beautiful letter explaining this theme very well.  You can read a portion of his letter in this bulletin. The complete letter is on our parish website.

This theme should remind us of the motto of our own St. Matthias School: Faith, Caring Excellence. Is it just a coincidence? No. Catholic schools were begun with the specific purpose to form students to become good Catholics by instilling in them the values that would make them good citizens of the world, so that they would enrich the society with the leaven of the gospel and the example of faith. That is why the Catholic school, like the Catholic Church, is not a building or an institution, but it is the people. As the people of God, we, here at St. Matthias, work together to bring the Kingdom of God to Earth and raise up the next generation to do the same. Hence our teachers and students forming the foundation of the school are active people of faith who serve others and God, under the able leadership of Mary Lynch, the School Principal. We, parents, elders, benefactors, and well-wishers have a stake in this mission of Catholic education. Thank you for all the support you give to St. Matthias School to help us fulfil this mission. Our 10 am Mass this Sunday is a celebration of our Catholic School. It will be followed by an open house – open to all.

Each year the Diocese of Metuchen honors youth leaders from various parishes. The St. Timothy Award is given annually to High School Youth who live as disciples of Christ, setting a positive example for other youth, witness to their faith by exhibiting Catholic morals and integrity, demonstrate Gospel values through service to others and exhibit Christian leadership in parish, school, and/or community settings. We are very happy that two of our St. Matthias parish youth were chosen for this award: Melody Adamski and Emily Chavez. Hearty congratulations to these young ladies for meriting this great honor through their leadership, faith and service. As we are proud of their achievement, I wish to thank Sue Lenczewski, our Youth Ministry Coordinator, and Deacon John Radvanski who have been guiding our Youth/NeXt Level ministry.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus begins each of the Beatitudes with “Blessed are you …” These are guides for us to live joyfully. Each beatitude Jesus has uttered is so counter-cultural that we won’t believe it unless we experience it. It is then that we can and will know the “blessedness” that Jesus promises in the here and now. May we all resist Satan’s beatitudes (read on page 4 in this bulletin!) and imbibe the BE-ATTITUDES of Jesus and make each day a happy one for us and for others.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

What’s the difference between a “Catholic Bible” and a “Protestant Bible”? This is a question that I have been asked many times, and probably you have too. The Catholic edition of the Bible has 73 books while the Protestant edition has only 66 books. The New Testament books are 27 in Catholic and Protestant Bibles. But Protestant Bibles have only 39 books in the Old Testament, while Catholic Bibles have 46. The seven books included in Catholic Bibles are Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch. Catholic Bibles also include sections in the Books of Esther and Daniel that are not found in Protestant Bibles. These books are called the deuterocanonical books. The Catholic Church believes these books are part of the canon of Scripture, inspired by the Holy Spirit. These books are printed as part of the Old Testament in a Catholic Bible. In some other Bibles, these books (and sometimes additional, non-Scriptural books) are printed between the Old and New Testaments.

Today, the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, is instituted by Pope Francis as the “Sunday of the Word of God.” This is to remind us all of the importance and value of Sacred Scripture for the Christian life, as well as the relationship between the Word of God and the liturgy. Why is reading and praying the Bible so very important in our personal and family life? The words of Sacred Scripture are unlike any other texts we will ever hear, for they not only give us information, but they are the vehicle God uses to reveal himself to us, the means by which we come to know the depth of God’s love for us, and the responsibilities entailed by being Christ’s followers, members of his Body. Surveys have shown that few Catholics read the Bible on their own or as a family. At the same time, we are amazed at other Christians who are able to quote Bible verses. As St. Jerome once noted, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”

Why is proclaiming the Scriptures an essential part of the liturgy? The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says: “When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel” (GIRM, no. 29). Hence, Scripture readings are an essential part of every liturgical celebration – whether it be a sacrament or a prayer service. Readings from Scripture are part of every Mass. At least two readings (3 on Sundays and solemnities), one always from the Gospels, make up the Liturgy of the Word. In addition, a psalm or canticle is sung.

These readings are typically read from a Lectionary. For convenience, the readings and psalms for each day of the year are put together in the Lectionary. The readings are divided by the day or the theme (baptism, marriage, vocations, etc.) rather than according to the books of the Bible. Not all of the Bible is included in the Lectionary.

Someone created this meaning for the word BIBLE: Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth. But in fact, Bible is the nourishment for every day of our lives here on earth. What extra effort can we make to be more familiar with God’s Word?

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

A Rich Treasure of Celebrations

January 16 to 25 is filled with a plethora of special observances for our church and society. On January 16 we observe a National holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr .the great Baptist minister and civil rights leader who inspired many people and laid the foundation for the 1964 Civil Rights legislation that would begin a healing and reconciliation process in America. Born on January 15 1929 in Atlanta Dr. King proved to be a powerful, inspirational leader who sought to end racial discrimination through nonviolent peaceful means. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for peace in 1964. He was assassinated on April 4th 1968 in Memphis TN. People are asked to reflect on the principles of racial equality and nonviolent social change espoused by Dr. King. We follow the American custom of celebrating the holiday on a Monday, the third Monday, rather than the actual day of his birth.

From January 18 to 25 we will celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year’s theme is taken from the first chapter of Isaiah, Do Good: Seek Justice. Is 1:17. During this week we are asked to pray that our world may move towards the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper, “that all may be one” Jn. 17:21. The week concludes significantly enough on the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul. If the grace of God was powerful enough to bring about his conversion then it can surely bring about a more unified church and help thereby to promote the Good News of Christ to a waiting world. Consider attending mass an extra day this week to pray for Christian unity.

And finally on January 20 we will celebrate the 50th Annual March for Life in Washington DC. This year’s celebration will also mark the momentous overturn of Roe V Wade. Abortion is the greatest human rights abuse of our time but thanks to the perseverance of the Pro Life Movement, through education and advocacy change is slowly taking hold. The struggle continues now that the decision about Pro Life policies is handed back to our elected representatives in Washington and in States Capitols .This year’s March for Life will go from the Mall to the Steps of the United States Capitol building and not to the steps of the Supreme Court, as in other years. There will be many speakers at the rally on the Mall preceding the March. I will be marching as usual and encourage others to do the same. Watch our bulletin for information about buses.

And on January 23 our nation will observe a Day of Prayer for Legal protection for the Unborn. Consider attending Mass at 8am that morning or join us for a Eucharistic Holy Hour for Life immediately following Mass.

A rich plethora of feasts and celebrations indeed, all for justice and the protection of human rights. Let us “Do Good and Seek Justice” (Is 1:17)

 

Msgr. Brennan

The Epiphany of the Lord

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

Happy Feast of Epiphany! That word, in its Greek origin, refers to God’s revelation to humans. Today we focus on the wise men or magi who later legends have named as Melchior, Casper and Balthazar. They may have been of noble birth, educated, wealthy, and influential. Whether we agree or not with the non-biblical descriptions about them, one thing is certain: they had apparently studied the Hebrew Scriptures, in particular, the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. They knew the words of Balaam: “A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17). They certainly were acquainted with the prophecy of Micah: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2; see also Matthew 2:5, 6). They probably also knew and understood the time prophecy of Daniel regarding the appearance of the Messiah (see Daniel 9:25, 26). Their study of the Scriptures led them to the Messiah and they adored him.

Reading and praying the Scriptures is the surest way to know the Messiah. “The more we seek him, the more we find him…” a famous worship song declares. The wise men must be admired for their willingness to spend their time, inconveniencing themselves a lot, in order to find Jesus and worship him. Decision to read the Bible daily is an excellent New Year resolution that can still be made on this second Sunday of 2023.

May be today is the right time to ask: Did we begin the New Year in the right spirit? St. Paul gives an excellent piece of advice he practiced himself: “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13). The spirit he advocates is to be forward-looking at the possibilities that we have in the call of God in Christ Jesus.
“Forgetting what lies behind” is an invitation to not dwell on the past failures, hurts and wrong choices but to learn from them in the light that Jesus brings into our lives. No doubt our desire is to be better persons, to live better lives, to make more healthy choices and to live with all in harmony and peace. “Straining forward to what lies ahead” is the promise of the fulfillment of our longings in Jesus. As we celebrate Epiphany today, let us remember that the wise men reached their goal because they strained forward to what lay ahead. Their guide was the star that led them from the beginning of their quest. We too need to keep our eyes on the star and should take care that we don’t lose focus.

It is said that New Year’s Day is “the first blank page of a 365 page book.” Obviously, we all desire to write good things in that book. As we enter the second week, can we be happy and proud of what we already wrote in the first seven pages of this book?

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

Happy New Year!

Posted on by mjloboda

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! The New Year’s Eve Mass is an opportunity for us to thank God for the blessings we received in 2022. We usher in the New Year not only watching all the celebrations across the world including the dropping of the ball in Times Square, but also by celebrating the Eucharist in God’s house and beginning 2023 with His blessings. Many will make this first day of the New Year a time of reflecting, resolving, and beginning again.

It is only understandable that most New Year’s resolutions are about personal health like eating right, losing weight, relaxing more, avoiding smoking, drinking etc. But Christianity reminds us that we are more than our bodies. Jesus says: “Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes” (Luke 12:23). Hence our New Year resolutions should address every aspect of our self ‐ physical, mental, spiritual and emotional. I came across some simple but profound ideas that the International Catholic Stewardship Council published. I wish to share these with you:

Practice gratitude – Cultivating a grateful heart is the hallmark of a Christian steward. Every day, express thankfulness. Seeing the good in your life will allow you to keep your heart compassionate and loving. Encounter the Lord each day – Find time to be with the Lord each day, whether it be for an hour or ten minutes. Have a conversation with the Lord. Give your joys and worries to Him as well. Allow God’s love to transform them.

Be present to others – There is much celebration and mourning, joy and sorrow in peoples’ lives. What a blessing it is to be able to share those times
and not let others experience them alone. The gift of your presence to others is much more valuable than you realize.

Resist overwork – There is a pressure to produce, meet goals, be successful. But activities that lead us to overwork, constant fatigue and worry do not give glory to God. What God calls us to do, we can do well. Be mindful that life requires balance, down time and letting go of unrealistic goals.

Give more – Good stewards realize that everything they have is entrusted to them as gifts to be shared. There is no better place to begin than sharing with the community that gathers around the Lord’s table at Mass.

Make a difference in your parish community – Believe it or not, your parish community can use your talents. Offering your talents to your faith community is one of the most effective ways to feel useful and connected to others, and it is a potentially life‐changing New Year resolution.

Consider living more simply – We cannot find fulfilment in possessions. They add nothing to our self‐worth. Jesus blessed the “poor in spirit” in his Sermon
on the Mount; and Saint Francis of Assisi urged us to live with only what was necessary, for that is how we begin to find God.

Don’t give up – People give up their New Year resolutions because of perfectionism and unrealistic expectations. So take it slow, be kind to yourself and keep trying. Resist the urge to throw your hands up and quit. You succeed through small, manageable changes over time.

May the Blessings of Baby Jesus stay with all of you for the whole of the New Year 2023.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

The Nativity of the Lord

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas! Yes, Christmas is that magical time of the year when glittering lights and colorful decorations line the streets and homes and children are eagerly waiting to open the gifts under the tree. One word that we hear often during the Christmas season, especially from liturgical and other sources, is ‘incarnation.’ It literally means taking flesh. Christmas is the feast of God incarnating as a human being.

Incarnation is a familiar term I have been hearing from my Indian background with the Hindus. Their Scriptures describe ten incarnations of God “to restore righteousness in the world whenever there is a large-scale erosion of moral values.” But the Christian Scriptures teach only one Incarnation, and its purpose is given in John 3: 16: “God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not die, but have eternal life.”  Thus every Christmas reminds us that we need a Savior every day, and that Savior is Emmanuel, God-with-us. That is certainly our cause for joy.

Pope Francis has written and spoken much about the joy we should have for having Emmanuel, God-with-us. Here’s a passage I liked from his Apostolic Letter (Misericordia Et Misera): “In a culture often dominated by technology, sadness and loneliness appear to be on the rise, not least among young people. This often gives rise to depression, sadness and boredom, which can gradually lead to despair. We need witnesses to hope and true joy if we are to dispel the illusions that promise quick and easy happiness through artificial paradises. We need to acknowledge the joy that rises up in a heart touched by mercy. Let us keep in mind, then, the words of the Apostle: “Rejoice in the Lord always.”

It is this joy that we try to express when we wish each other  “Merry Christmas!” Let us not be cowed down by the secular progressives who want us to be ‘politically correct’ by diminishing the display of Christian greetings, traditions and practices. Let us not be caught up in the cultural war of “Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays.” Instead, let us be proud of our Christian heritage that the founding fathers and mothers of our nation envisioned. Hence, religious freedom is an essential freedom that we need to practice joyfully.

Christmas blessings to you and to your family!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal